1 Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11, John 17:1-11

1 Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11

John 17:1-11

Be A Prayer Warrior

June 5, 2011

Easter 7

            Many of you may know that I was out of town a few weeks ago, but you may not know where I was or what I was doing. 

            Let me tell you something about my week.

            Two Sundays ago I rushed home immediately after worship, quickly changed clothes while Sally packed a sandwich and chips lunch for me to eat on the road, and drove to Montreat, NC for a conference that was entitled “ReFocsing For Ministry”.  I got to Montreat just in time to join the rest of the twenty ministers and lay leaders who were attending the conference for supper at the William Black Lodge, followed by a night full of activities and classes that did not end until around 9:30. Then, starting at 8:30 Monday morning, we were deeply involved in activities and lectures designed to help us discover – or rediscover – our sense of call to ministry and the specific things God is calling each of us to be doing for Him in  our communities and in the world.  It was a very intense and challenging – but very rewarding – 4 and ½ days.

            One of the highlights for me was that at the conclusion of every activity we had the opportunity to share what we were learning, sometimes with a partner and sometimes with the entire group.  Once we shared what we felt God was saying to us through the activities and class material, someone – or sometimes the entire group – would pray for us.  Sometimes this would involve sitting in a small group and sometimes it would involve standing in the middle of a circle of fellow Church leaders, but it always involved someone praying for the one sharing.  And it was always a powerful experience! I felt supported and felt that my call to ministry was re-awakened as I prayed for others and they prayed for me.

            A very powerful experience indeed!

            If you have ever bowed your head while someone – or a group of people – prayed for you you know how powerful that experience it can be!

            We all need to feel that we are cared about and prayed for. It’s a basic need for us.  If we know that someone is praying for us, we are much more likely to feel that we have a reason for living and a reason to have hope when life gets difficult and painful. If we do not feel that we have someone praying for us, we might find ourselves slipping into depression and despair when the world seems to crash in on  us.  Knowing that someone is praying for us can make a difference – a major difference – in our lives.

            Can you say – beyond the shadow of a doubt – that someone is praying for you?

            Can you say – beyond the shadow of a doubt – that you have a “prayer warrior” who lifts you up – day after day of your life – and prays for you and is concerned about you – all the time?

            Yes, you can say that.

            If you are a follower of Jesus, you have a prayer warrior. In fact, you have the ultimate prayer warrior. If you are a follower of Jesus, Jesus is your prayer warrior – the one who lifts you up and prays for you – every day and every moment of your life.

            How can you know that?

            Our Gospel passage from John 17 tells you Jesus is praying for you – that Jesus is your prayer warrior.

            In this passage, Jesus is praying for His disciples, but He is not just praying for the 12 gathered around the table with Him on that night before He was betrayed.  He is praying for all who will ever come to believe in Him and follow Him. 

That means He is praying for us.   

That means His is praying for you.

That means that He is your prayer warrior.

This passage from John 17 is truly the Lord’s Prayer. It’s not the one we pray every Sunday. That might be seen as the Disciples’ Prayer because Jesus taught it to them as a response to their request to teach them how to pray. John 17 is  truly the Lord’s Prayer, because it is the prayer Jesus prays for His followers. Here  Jesus is deeply in prayer for His followers.  He is deeply in prayer for you.

Have you ever noticed that you can tell a lot about a person by listening to their prayers?

I heard about a man who was leaning against a tree while his house was on fire.  A neighbor came by to help him, and yelled at him: “Your house is on fire!” The man calmly said: “I know it.” “Aren’t you going to do something?” the neighbor replied. He answered: “I am doing something. Ever since the fire started, I’ve been praying for rain.”

That passive attitude towards prayer – praying for something but not willing to do anything about it – is not the attitude that Jesus has when He prays for you.

I also heard about a little girl whose brother set a trap to catch birds. The little girl thought this was wrong and cruel, and she was upset with her brother and seemed to be upset with everything and everyone. Then one day her demeanor changed. Her mother noticed that she was much more cheerful and asked her what had happened.

“I prayed for my brother to be a better boy” she replied.

“What else did you pray?” the mother asked.

“I prayed that the trap would not catch any birds” she replied.

“And what else?” the mother asked.

“I went out and kicked the trap to pieces” the girl replied.

She was not a passive prayer — she was a doer.

That active attitude about prayer reflects more of the attitude Jesus has when He prays for you. 

In John 17 you have a great deal of insight into the character of Jesus, the love He that He has for you, and the quality of the prayers He is prying for you.

As you look at this prayer, you can see that Jesus had a deep relationship with the Father. He prays as one who has a totally intimate relationship His Father,  both in the flesh and before the foundation of the earth. When Jesus prays for you, He prays what God prays – He says for you for God is saying for you.

Bill Glass is a minister whose son, John, was a great athlete in the eleventh grade in High School. Bill loved his son and was proud of his accomplishments.  Then, John had a knee injury and everything changed. He was in the hospital for weeks. At one point Bill came home and couldn’t find John. He went up to John’s room and noticed the door was cracked just a bit. John was on the bed sobbing as if his heart would break. Like most parents,  Bill wanted to do something, to say something to comfort him, but did not know what to say – so he stood outside the room and listened.  He finally decided to go in to John’s  room and say to him:

“John it’s OK, son. We’re going to lick this thing. We’re going to ask the Lord to lead us. We will find the best doctors. We’re going to lick this thing.”

He finally pushed the door open, walked in, and then he started crying. He put his hand on his son’s shoulder, and the son looked up and noticed his dad crying and said, “Dad, it’s OK. We’re going to lick this thing. We’ll ask the Lord to lead us, and we’re going to be all right.”

In other words, the son said to the father what the father was going to say to the son. John spoke for his father.

In this prayer in John 17, Jesus is speaking for you what God is speaking for you and what God wills for you.

Jesus is taking on the role of your prayer warrior. He is praying for your protection and for your perseverance.

He is praying for your protection. When He prays:

 “Protect them by the power of Your name”

He is praying for you to be protected from the problems, the pressures, the and the hardships of the world that can be so very strong and very depressing. He is praying for you to be protected from these by the most powerful name in the universe – the name of God. This does not mean that He is praying for you to be worry free and have a life with no problems – but it means that He is praying that the problems you will have in your life will not win the victory over you, but that God will win the victory for you over these problems.

He is praying that you will persevere.

He is praying that you will live the victorious life of following Him that can take whatever you have to face because you know that He is in charge of all things, and is praying for you.

What a difference it makes to know that the one who is in charge of all the things that happen to you is also the one who is praying for you!

What a difference it makes to know that Jesus – God’s Son – God in the flesh – is your prayer warrior!

I believe that knowing that Jesus is our praying for you – every day and in every situation you find yourself in – can lead you to 3 basic ways of living under the power of Jesus’ prayer for you.   

First — you can live a life of victory over all the things in the world and all the things in your life. You can live a life of prayer and thanksgiving to God. You can know that, even when things get difficult, you can respond by living a life of praise and thanksgiving instead of a life of feeling “woe is me”.

Remember what Paul writes in Philippians 4:6:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

In every situation of your life, you can lift up praises and prayers for guidance to God, knowing that at the same time Jesus is praying for you, also.

Second — you can be bold in coming to God with prayers for what you need to live your life in His will. 

Remember Jesus’ teachings about bringing your needs to God. In Luke 11 Jesus teaches the disciples how to pray – then explains to them that God answers your prayers for what you need.

You can indeed be bold in making your needs known to God, knowing that at the same time Jesus is lifting up prayers for what you need.

Third – you can boldly pray for others.

You can be a prayer warrior because you know that you have a prayer warrior.

God wants you to pray for others, just as Jesus prays for you and for them. James writes in James 5 that you can pray for those in need – those who are sick or troubled.  As you pray for them, you can be more like the little girl who prayed and acted on her prayer – kicking down her brother’s bird trap — than the man who prayed for rain while his house was burning down but did nothing else.  You can pray for others, and do things that show God’s love to them.  You can pray for others, knowing that as you do this Jesus is praying for them – and for you.

We can be a church of prayer warriors – praying for each other and for others.  We have the telephone and e-mail “prayer chain” – let’s make sure we use it and pray for the needs we are contacted about.  The “prayer chain” doesn’t work unless prayers are really going up. Pray for those on the “prayer chain” – don’t just hang up the phone when you get the call or delete the message when you get the e-mail and forget about it – be a prayer warrior and pray for needs you are made aware of.  You can also find other specific ways to be a blessing to those in need – whether it’s going to visit them, praying for them in person, preparing a meal for them, or whatever else you might find to do for them.  I mentioned James 5 a few moments ago.  That’s a very powerful passage – a very powerful picture of what it means to be a praying and acting church – a church of prayer warriors. I would urge you to take time to read it this afternoon and begin praying about and thinking about how we can be a praying and acting church – a church of prayer warriors.    

Jesus is your prayer warrior – so you can live a life of victory over all the things of the world and all the things of your life.

Jesus is your prayer warrior – so you can be bold in coming to God with prayers for what you need to live your life in His will.

Jesus is your prayer warrior – so you can be a prayer warrior also and pray for those who are in need.

When things were not going well during the early days of the Reformation, Philip Melancthon, a colleague of Martin Luther, was worried that their work to reform the Church was in vain.  One night as he in the home he shared with others who were being persecuted by the Catholic church he walked by a room where some children stayed. The door was cracked, and he heard the children praying. He immediately went to some of the adults in the house and said: 

“Take heart, the children are praying.”

What a blessing it is to know that Jesus is your prayer warrior — praying for you and acting on your behalf.

What a blessing it is for you to be a prayer warrior for Jesus  in the lives of others. Amen.

                                            

 

John 15:18-25, 1 Peter 2:19-25

John 15:18-25

1 Peter 2:19-25

“Why Should I Be Different?”

May 15, 2011

Easter 4

The killing of Osama Bin Laden 2 weeks ago prompted me to think about the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. I am sure it did the same for most of you – as it did for most people.    

Do you remember where you were and what you felt on September 11, 2001 when you first heard about the attack on the World Trade Center?

I remember that I was driving to the Church after an early morning breakfast meeting with some other ministers.  I was listening to the news on National Public Radio, when they interrupted a story with the breaking news that a plane had crashed into one of the towers of the World Trade Center.  By the time I reached the Church office they were reporting the second plane had crashed into the second tower – and as I tried to get some work done that morning and afternoon – along with checking on my nieces husband who was in New York City at the time and the daughter of a church member who lived in New York City and then helping plan for a community prayer service that night – I kept the radio on and listened to reports of the planes crashing into the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania, the crash of the towers of the World Trade Center, and all the other stories that seemed to occur simultaneously that day.  Like most of you, I am sure, I was torn by many feelings – anger, shock, and a feeling of how unfair it was.

“It’s not fair. It’s not right. Those people didn’t deserve to die” I thought.

But they did die. They died because a group of people so hated the United States that they didn’t care who they hurt, or who they killed as long as they were able to make their statement about the anger they felt towards our nation.

That kind of hatred is hard to imagine, isn’t it? It’s difficult to explain. While it is true that we had been warned that terrorists had targeted our nation and were capable of great evil, it still was hard to believe it would happen – and understand once it did happen.

While the hatred that those who perpetrated the September 11 attacks had for the United Sates can not be compared to the hatred Jesus says the world will have for His followers in our passage from John 15:18-25, the feelings of it not being fair and not being right – and the feelings of “Why do I have to be treated differently?” might be similar. 

You see — as Jesus sat with His disciples the night before He was crucified He predicted that those who followed Him would become objects of hatred – just as He had.

Jesus says: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”

He tells us it is coming.  He gives us an intelligence report that the world is going to hate us and persecute us. He tells us that if we want to follow Him and His teachings, others are not going to like it. We have been warned – and yet when it happens,  you might sometimes want to ask: “Why?” or say “It isn’t fair” or ask “Why are they treating me differently from  others?”  

“Why should I be different?” you might ask.

Really, I doubt you are being treated any differently than many other followers of Christ have been through the years.  In fact, I believe that you have it pretty easy when compared to how other Christians throughout the centuries have been treated. Jesus tells us that we would be hated by the world if we followed Him, and throughout history He has been proven right time and time again. Christians have died in the coliseum, been fed to the lions, been burnt at the stake, been sold into slavery or have had all their worldly possessions taken away.

Even today, Christians are being persecuted.

Just recently, in Afghanistan, 10 believers were arrested for sharing their faith. In the Sudan, Christians have been frequently harassed, family members have been kidnapped, and many have been sold into slavery or died under the butchery of those who disagreed with them.
In China, Bible based churches often are forced to worship to worship underground, behind closed doors. In some parts of this world, it is a dangerous thing to be a Christian.

Even in America Christians are persecuted.  Maybe you have had people get mad at you when you bring up Christ or your faith in a conversation. Or maybe you have had to listen to others explain about how wonderful their faith is, but get upset if you start taking about yours. Or maybe you have been made to feel uncomfortable for asking a blessing over a meal. You probably do feel that it is unfair that prayer and devotionals have been taken out of the school system.

Do you wonder why you are treated differently – or why people seem to hate you – because you are a Christian?

1 John 3:13 says:  “Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.”

But – you might still be surprised – and wonder: “Why am I treated differently?”

It does not seem fair.  Of all people to hate, why would anybody hate Christians? Of course, it’s easier to understand why people hate those who are hypocritical in their faith — those who pretend to be Christians – those who like to talk about their faith but not live it.  But – what about good, basic Christians?

It’s not fair that – even if you are a good, basic Christian — you are treated differently from others and have others make you feel uncomfortable when you try to talk about or live your faith.

It’s not fair – but Jesus says it’s what’s going to happen – and it does.

Jesus says that the world hates the true Christians – not the pretenders.

Jesus says the world hates true Christians – and not the hypocrites.

Listen again to what He says:

“If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

People know real followers of Christ when they see them. People know if you are a real Christian.  People know that real Christians help the poor, feed the hungry, visit the lonely, minister to the those in need, show care to others, and live good, decent lives. When you are following Christ as you should,  people will know it. 

But – if we you are living a life where you are known for yur love and your decency, why do people still want to make you feel like you are wrong – and treat you differently?

Doesn’t make sense – does it?  It’s not fair – but it’s the way it is.

What is it about belonging to Jesus that makes the world so upset with you?

I believe that what upsets people the most about you if you are living out your faith and faithfully following Christ is that the world does not like Christ, and does not like those who follow Him. If you are following Christ you have a radical change in the way you live, and people don’t want to hear about that or see  you living like that because it makes them feel guilty or points out to them where they are wrong. If you are following Christ you are going to believe things differently and do things differently than most people believe and do, and people aren’t gong to like being around you because you are thinking and acting in a different way – a more Christ-like way – than  they are. If you are following Christ you are disagreeing with ideas that are not Christian ideas – and people are not going to want to be around you when they express your Christian ideas or disagree with their ideas.

If you are following Christ you are living differently than those around you who aren’t following Christ — and they are not going to like it!  If you are following Christ and living differently than those around you you are going to be acting differently – and will be treated differently – than others. It’s not fair – but Jesus tells us that’s how it’s going to be – and that’s how it is. 

In fact, I believe that if you are not treated differently than others it could be because you are not acting differently.  If others are accepting you and not feeling uncomfortable around you – it could be because you are not living in the ways of Christ and they can not see Christ in you.  If others are accepting what you say and do, maybe they don’t see any radical change that Christ has made in your life.

When you become a follower of Christ and let Christ make a difference in you life, you tell the world:

“I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. I believe He is my Savior, and I am going to live in His ways – not the ways of the world. ”

It’s a pretty simple statement – but a strong one.

What you are saying when you say that statement and live by it  is that you believe that what the Bible says is right – and what the world says is wrong.  In that simple statement, you are agreeing with Peter when he said in Acts 4:12:

Salvation is found in no one else for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.

What you are saying when you say that statement and live by it is that you believe Jesus when He says : “I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes unto the Father except by me.”

You’re saying that you realize that salvation does not come from following Mohammed or Buda or any other teacher – but only from following Christ – and that those who disagree with that are wrong and in peril of being condemned.

When you say and live like you believe:

 ”Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. I believe He is my Savior, and I am going to live in His ways – not the ways of the world. ”

You are saying things and living in ways that go against many others in the world.   You are saying the things and living in the ways that say: “ I am going to accept and live by what the world says – I am going to accept and live by what God says and what the Bible says.” You are saying the things and living in ways that say “Y’all can believe what you want to about how people should live, but I am going to live by and believe what the Bible says.”

When you say and live like you believe:

 ”Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. I believe He is my Savior, and I am going to live in His ways – not the ways of the world. ” you draw a line in the sand. You declare that every one outside of Jesus and His teachings is wrong and you declare to the world that unless they turn from their sins, accept Jesus as their Savior, make Him the Master of their lives, and live in His ways they are condemned.

What all this means is that, by your very existence as a Christian, you are an enemy of the ways of the world — and those living by the ways of world are not going to like that. If you take your faith in Jesus seriously, sooner or later those living in the ways of the world are going to ask you to back off. They are going to ask you to compromise your faith. They are going to ask you to “shut up” and go sit down. And the temptation is to do that just that – to give in — shut up – not speak up – and sit by quietly while they do what they want to do and say what they want to say. The temptation is to  deny your belief that Jesus is your Lord and your deny commitment to live in His ways because you  don’t  want to offend anyone.

I think that it’s this type of  behavior – being silent about our faith and not living out our faith because we don’t want to offend anyone – that James was referring to when he wrote:

“…don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” (James 4:4)

You can’t have it both ways.  Either you are committed to living in the ways Jesus taught or you are living against the ways Jesus taught. Either you are living in the ways the Bible teaches of you are living against the ways the Bible teaches.

You either live differently – which will lead to you being treated differently – or you live like everybody else – which might get you accepted by everybody else – but it’s not God’s will for you.

I’m not saying this is easy.

Speaking up for Jesus when it would be easier not to is not easy at all. Living in the ways the Bible teaches when it would be easier to go along with everyone else is not easy. It often leads to others getting mad at you and treating you differently or avoiding you or arguing with you — but if you love Jesus you will make the hard choices and stand up for Jesus regardless of what others might say or do or how others might treat you.  If you love Jesus you will make the hard choices and live in His ways and the ways the Bible teaches regardless of what others might say or how others might treat you.

Martin Luther was a Catholic Priest who was troubled by his past. He remembered all the things he’d said, done and thought in the past and he was continually plagued by shame and guilt. In fact, some speculate that part of the reason he became a priest was to help him deal with that burden. As a priest he struggled to find peace. He did penance, even going so far as crawling up the steps that ascended to St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, kissing each step as he crept up, but no matter what he did, he failed to find relief. Finally he turned to the one resource it seemed few sought in that day – the scriptures. It was there that he discovered forgiveness and hope. And it was also there that he found himself beginning to question some of the Catholic Church’s teachings at that time – such as paying to have your sins forgiven.  He even questioned the authority of the Pope – and finally challenged the church to a debate.

But Rome was not to be trifled with. Luther was summoned to a counsel held at Worms, Germany – and it was not a friendly meeting. Luther stood alone – faced by priests and bishops, knights and court officials, and especially by the hostile young emperor Charles V. With his writings against the teachings of the church piled on a desk in the meeting area, Luther was asked if he would disavow them.  No debate would be allowed.

Luther knew that men had died for less than what he had written. Heretics were burned at stakes or tortured for hours in punishment for less than what he had written. Luther felt that his very life hung in the balance. He began to attempt to make a defense of his works but was brusquely told all they would allow was a simple answer. Would he disavow his writings – which were based on his understanding of scripture – or not?

Luther replied that he could not go against his understanding of the Word of God, but had to stand on God’s word – regardless of what might be done to him.

He raised himself to his full height and declared “Here I stand, I can do no other.”

Can you make that kind of statement – and live by that kind of statement?

Can you base how you live on God’s word and how God calls you to live — regardless of what others might be basing their lives on?

Can you base how you live on God’s word and how God calls you to live — regardless of how others might treat you or what others might think about you?

If you do this, you will be treated differently from others because you will be living differently from others – but you will be living in the ways of Christ – and as a Christian you should say – with Martin Luther – that you can do no other.   Amen.

John 18:15-18, 25-27 John 21:15-19 1 Peter 1:3-9

John 18:15-18, 25-27

John 21:15-19

1 Peter 1:3-9

From Cowardly To Courageous

May 1, 2011

2^nd Sunday of Easter

            The Lord has risen!

            Alleluia!

            He has risen indeed!

            Our Easter celebration of Christ’s resurrection last Sunday was a glorious celebration of the new life and new hope our risen Lord gives us, wasn’t it?

Many things worked together to make the day and the worship special. 

The Easter Egg Hunt last Saturday – complete with a dog that somehow miraculously grew bunny ears for the occasion – was a joyous celebration.

 The early morning service and breakfast on Sunday that some of us attended at Tabernacle Methodist Easter morning was a great celebration with our Christian brothers and sisters from several churches of several Christian denominations in the community – and bore witness to the fact that – whatever might divide us as followers of Christ – the resurrection unites us and gives us the opportunity to come together and celebrate.

I don’t know if everybody saw it, but I saw members of one of our Sunday School classes last Sunday morning borrowing chairs from other class rooms because all the chairs in their room were taken. I understand that it was tight quarters in their class room last Sunday. What a glorious way to honor our risen Lord! 

            Our Easter worship last Sunday – which included a full Sanctuary, beautiful Easter Lilys, celebrating Terry Davenport joining the Church and celebrating the Sacrament of Communion  was indeed a joyous celebration of the new life and new hope our resurrected Lord gives us.     

            Some of you may have capped off the wonderful celebration by enjoying good food and a good time with family and friends.  Sally and I joined some of you in that, and it was indeed wonderful. 

Some of you may have found other ways to celebrate and enjoy the beautiful weather God blessed us with last Sunday.   

Yes – our Easter celebration last Sunday was indeed a joyous celebration of the new life and new hope Christ gives us. It was so joyous and exciting that it may have seemed that it would go on forever – and we would from that point on be filled with the joy and excitement the risen Christ offers us.

Is that that what happened?

Look around you. Today looks different from last Sunday, doesn’t it?

The crowd is down – and unfortunately the level of excitement seems down also. The lilys that were not taken after worship last Sunday are beginning to droop – just like our spirits may be drooping somewhat today.

What happened to the joy and excitement we had last Sunday?

What happened to the feeling that we would always be filled with the joy and excitement the risen Christ gives?

How long did that feeling last for you?

Did it last the rest of Easter afternoon?

Did it last until Monday?

How about Tuesday – or Wednesday – or Thursday — or Friday – or Saturday?

Maybe you felt excited about the resurrection of Christ while you were in Church last Sunday and decided that you would share your excitement with others – but after the excitement wore off and things went back to normal you forgot about telling others what the risen Christ means to you.

Maybe you talked yourself out of sharing with others about the new life Maybe you got scared to tell others about the risen Christ and what He means to you and the changes He has made in your life.

Maybe the risen Christ has not really made a change and a difference in your life.

Maybe you are like Peter immediately after Christ was arrested – the scene depicted in our John 18 passage for today. 

Sally and I spent Good Friday evening watching Mel Gibson’s movie The Passion of the Christ . If you have ever watched this realistic and moving film, you will remember the mob scene Peter found himself in the middle of when he entered the courtyard at the High Priest’s house. People were pushing and shoving him – screaming at him that he must be a disciple of Jesus.  Peter could see that Jesus was being beaten, and became scared that that was what would happen to Jesus’ followers – so 3 times Peter denied knowing Christ. He then panicked even greater than when he had panicked moments before.  He had denied Jesus when Jesus had needed him the most – and, I am sure, felt like everything he had said in his professions of faith and devotion to Jesus were now meaningless.

            Do you ever find yourself in a situation where you know you can tell others about what Jesus means to you – but you don’t do it?

Maybe you are scared of what they might think of you if you talked about Christ – or maybe you just don’t want to go to the trouble it would take to tell them about what Christ means to you. Maybe it’s a situation where someone says something derogatory about Christ or Christians or Church and you don’t give your opinion. 

How do you feel after that happens?

Do you ask yourself: “How could I let that happen? How could I not stand up for Christ?”

Do you kick yourself and put yourself down because you didn’t share about Christ or stand up for Christ and your faith when you had the opportunity?

Do you worry that – if you ever saw Jesus face t face – He would tell you how disappointed He was in you for not standing up for Him?     

Does it seem that you are cowardly in your faith – when you want to be courageous? 

But — how can you move from being a cowardly Christian – scared to tell others about Christ — to being a courageous Christian – a bold witness for what Christ has done in your life and can do in the lives of others?

Let’s look again at Peter.

In fact – for a moment imagine with me that you are Peter in that period of time between the   passages from John we read a few minutes ago.   

            You have followed Jesus for 3 years — listening, watching, and learning.  You have given your life to following Jesus — and at times have been extremely committed to following Him.  You have even made a dramatic confession of Jesus being the Son of God.

            But — all that has changed.

            Jesus has been arrested — and you are scared. You do not feel that you can risk being identified with Jesus — and try to hide.  At the house of the High Priest, three different people try to identify you as a follower of Jesus — and each time you vehemently deny it.

            But — as soon as you do this — you panic.

            How could you have done such a thing?

            Where is your commitment when Jesus needs you the most?

            The next day Jesus is crucified — and you feel that you are an utter failure. 

You feel that everything you have lived for — everything that you have given your life for — is gone — and it is somehow your fault.

All your claims of love seem to be nothing as you think of how you have denied Jesus.

            If only you could hide.

            And then the story begins to spread that Jesus has risen.  You see for yourself the empty tomb – - you even see Jesus — but you are still ashamed — and confused. You are not sure what to do — so you return to Galilee to what you did before you began following Jesus — you return to the life of a fisherman. Then — early one morning — Jesus appears – and you panic. You don’t know what to say or do. You want to apologize — but don’t know how.  You are mad at yourself — ashamed of yourself – and embarrassed at yourself for having denied Jesus — and you feel you just can’t face Him now.

            The tension rises within you as Jesus speaks.

            “Do you love me?”

            Jesus asks.

            “Lord — you know I love you!” you respond.

            “Do you love me?” Jesus again questions.

            “Lord — you know I love you!” you respond again.

            “Do you love me?”

            Jesus asks a third time.

            “Lord — you know everything — you know that I love you!” you respond.

            Jesus then looks at you — and in that look you know that all has been forgiven. In that look you realize that your three denials have been replaced by three affirmations of love. In that look you realize that Jesus loves you enough to forgive you and restore you to His work.

You quickly receive a new zeal and enthusiasm for serving Jesus and quickly become an outspoken leader in the early church.     You boldly proclaim that Jesus — whom you have once denied — is Savior and Lord.  For the rest of your life you proclaim that Jesus is Lord – and you are so adamant about your faith that you — who once feared confessing Christ for fear of what the Jews would do — now boldly profess Christ — even though it finally does bring death. 

You move from being a cowardly Christian to being a courageous Christian – and write such words as we find in the passage for today from 1 Peter:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.
How did Peter move from being cowardly to being courageous in his faith?

He had an experience with the risen Christ – experienced the life changing love Christ had for him – and this made him courageous in his faith and committed to sharing His faith.

That can happen to you also. You can have a life changing relationship with the risen Christ – you can experience the life changing love the risen Christ has for you – and let that love make you courageous in your faith and committed to sharing Your faith. As a follower of the risen Christ, you can be forgiven and changed by the love of God – and can share that forgiving and life changing love with the world.

            The risen Christ can make a difference in how you live.  The risen Christ  can fill you with such joy and excitement — such enthusiasm – that you life can be changed and you can live in new ways — much the same as Peter’s life was changed and Peter lived in new ways. 

            I believe the question you have to ask yourself is — Why are you not changed by the love of God – and why are you not courageously sharing the forgiving and life changing love of God with the world?

What holds you back from courageously living the new life the risen Christ can give you – and courageously telling others about the risen Christ and his power to change lives?

            Well, maybe you are like Peter between the denial of Christ and Christ’s forgiveness — ashamed of what you see as past failures and not believing that God can truly want and use someone as unfaithful as you have proven to be. 

            Friends — here’s the good news of the gospel of the risen Christ — through the risen Christ God invites you and makes it possible for you to move from living a cowardly life where you don’t witness for Christ to living a courageous, changed life where you witness for Him in what you say and do.   

You can be forgiven for a cowardly lack of witness for the risen Christ and be changed by the love of God and the power of the risen Christ. You can be changed and can courageously share that forgiving and life changing love of the risen Christ with the world.

Here are some steps for you to take to let God change you.

The first step is for you to take is to confess your cowardly approach to telling others about Him to Christ. If you confess it He will forgive it – and will change it.

The second step is for you to truly believe the message of Easter – the message that Christ has risen and is in the business of changing lives – lives like yours.  Believe that the risen Christ can make a difference in your life! Believe that the risen Christ can change your life!

            The third step is for you to enter into a relationship with Christ that changes your life and gives you the courage you need to be a bold witness for Him.  Let yourself experience the risen Christ in a new way and let Him change how you live,  how you pray, how you worship, and how you share the news of His life changing love with others.

            Develop a new relationship with the risen Christ — let Him change you – and let Him lead you from being a cowardly Christian who does not witness for Him and tell others about Him to one who has a passion for witnessing for Him and telling others about Him.

            I read the other day this quote Max Lucado: 

“Surrendering your life to Christ means going to Him and saying ‘I’m yours — use me however you want to.’”

            Use me however you want to.

            That attitude of belonging to Christ — and letting himself be used however Christ would use them — certainly is what changed Peter from being a cowardly to being a courageous Christian.

“I’m yours — use me however you want to.”

This attitude will change your life – and move you from being a cowardly to a courageous witness for Christ.  Amen.

Jeremiah 31:7-14, 1 Peter 2:1-10, John 1:1-18

Jeremiah 31:7-14

1 Peter 2:1-10

John 1:1-18

We Are All Called

January 3, 2010

Christmas 2

Officer Ordination / Installation

Happy New Year!

It is indeed a new year – a year filled with new possibilities – new potential – - and new opportunities.

But we have to let it be that for us.

We have to let ourselves take advantage of the new possibilities – new potential – - and new opportunities that God may be laying before us — or this year will not be any different than any other.

You may remember my story about when I was young I used to want to stay up until midnight on New Years Eve and “see the New Year in”.  When I was 4 I decided that I was going to stay up and “see the New  Year in” – for it was not just a new year – but a new decade.  When the clock struck midnight it was no longer going to the 1959 – but 1960 – not the 1950’s – but the 1960’s!  I was sure that this was going to bring great changes – and things were going to suddenly look different.

I was excited! I was ready to stay up to “see the New Year in” – to “see the new decade in” but around 10:30 my tiredness caught up with my excitement. I decided I would lie down for awhile – but slept through the whole thing. On the morning of January 1, 1960 I awoke – disappointed that I had missed the New Year – the new decade — coming in – but raced outside to see how the New Year looked. I expected things to look different. Surely things would look different. Of course, nothing looked different. I told my parents that I did not know what the big deal was – everything looked the same to me.

Is that how the new year will be for us – just the same?

Or – will we see and take advantage of the new possibilities – new potential – - and new opportunities that lie before us?

For us here at Hopewell, today is not only a time for celebrating and thinking about the new possibilities and new opportunities God may be presenting us in our personal lives this new year – but it is also a time for celebrating and thinking about new possibilities  and new opportunities God may presenting us as a Church. Dresden Tucker and Sonny Sandifer have heard God’s call to serve Him and the Church — have responded by saying “Here I am” – and we have ordained them as Elders and installed them to active service on the Session.  Jay Gregg and Jimmy Gregg have also heard God’s call to serve Him and the Church – have responded again by saying “Here I am” – and we have installed them to active service on the Session.

God is laying new possibilities – new potential – - and new opportunities before us. But – - here’s the thing — we can grasp these new possibilities – new potential – - and new opportunities – and with God’s strength can do new and greater things for Him in the Church, the community, and the world — or we can just keep doing same old things in the same old ways and it can be “business as usual” – the same thing as always – and wonder why things remain the same.

It’s up to us.

Actually, it’s up to you.

It’s up to you to make the new year – with the new opportunities that lay before us – what you will make of them.

We can take advantage of the new possibilities – new potential – - and new opportunities God is laying before us – and truly be changed as individuals and as a Church – or we can just keep doing the same old things the same old ways and wonder why things never change.

You remember that Joshua told the people of Israel that they had to choose who they would serve – but as for him – he was going to serve the Lord.

In the same way, you have to choose if you are going to take advantage of the  new possibilities – new potential – - and new opportunities God is laying before us – and truly be changed as an individual – and if we will be changed as a Church.  But, as Joshua – I want to go on record as saying that – as for me – I want to take advantage of the new possibilities God is laying before us.  I want Hopewell to be the Church God would have us be.  I want us all to say – when God calls us – “Here I am – tell me what You want me to do”.

Anybody with me?

Anybody else want to listen for God’s call to us – and say to God:

“Here I am  – tell me what You want me to do”

Some of you may remember John Belushi’s stirring speech in the movie “Animal House” – and although he got his facts very confused – he ended with charging out the door – by himself.  He then returned and – with the typical Belushi raised eyebrow – looked around the room to see why no one else was following him.

I don’t want to go charging into the year by myself.

I pray that you will follow me – and together we will hear God’s call – and together we will be willing to respond to God:

“Here I am – tell me what You want me to do”

But – here’s another question.

After you choose that you want to take advantage of the  new possibilities – new potential – - and new opportunities God is laying before us – and truly be changed as an individual – and want to work for a change in the Church – after you decide that you want to respond to God’s call:

“Here I am  – tell me what You want me to do”

How do you do it?

How can you really take advantage of the new possibilities – new potential – - and new opportunities God is laying before you – and truly be changed?

How can you act on that commitment you make when you say to God:

“Here I am – tell me what You want me to do”

The passage from 1 Peter I read a few moments ago gives us an idea of what God thinks of us:

you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light

We are a chosen n race — a royal priesthood — a holy nation — God’s own people

That’s who we are as a community of Christians.

You are a chosen n race — a royal priesthood — a holy nation — God’s own person.

That’s who you are as an individual.

Chosen – royal – and holy

Holy – the Greek word is haggios — which means different – or set apart

That is who we are!

As a Christian, that’s who you are!

Regardless of what we might think about ourselves — regardless of what our opinions of ourselves might be –  this is what God thinks – and what God’s opinion is.

Regardless of what you might think about yourself  — regardless of what your opinion  of yourself might be –  this is what God thinks of you – and what God’s opinion is.

And it is God’s opinion that counts here!

And – God has a purpose for us – a purpose for you — as Peter writes –

to proclaim the mighty acts of him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

So – now you know what God thinks of you – and what God is calling you to do. We are the glorious people of God – called to show to the world the glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. You are a glorious person of God – called to show to the world the glory of your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That is who we are – and what we are to be doing. That’s who you are – and what you are to be doing.

A glorious person of God – called to show to the world the glory of your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

When you say to God:

“Here I am – tell me what You want me to do”

You are saying –

“I’m willing to be live as Your glorious person – and I’m willing to do what I can to show the world Your glory.”

Yea – it is a new year. A year filled with new possibilities – new potential – - and new opportunities that God is laying before us. Yea – starting today we have a new Session – this particular group has never served and lead before.

It’s up to us to decide what we are going to do with the new things God lays before us.

It’s up to the members of the Session to decide what they are going to do  with the new things God lays before them and before us.

But – it’s up to each of you to decide if you are willing to truly say to God:

“I’m willing to be live as Your glorious person – and I’m willing to do what I can to show the world Your glory.”

It’s up to you to decide if you are going to say to God:

“Here I am – tell me what You want me to do”

God is calling.

God is calling each of us.

God is calling you.

We like to talk about how members of the Session are “called by God”
– but the truth is we are all called.

We are all called to take advantage of each and every opportunity God lays before us – and to let God truly make this year different – for us as individuals – and for us at Hopewell Presbyterian Church.

We are all called.

How will we respond?

How will you respond?

It’s up to us to decide what we are going to do with the opportunities God is giving us. It’s up to us to decide if we are going to let God bless us – and truly live out our calling to be glorious people – called to show to the world our glorious God

It’s up to you to decide what you are going to do with the opportunities God is giving you. It’s up to you to decide if you are going to let God bless you – and truly live out your calling to be a glorious person of God – and show your glorious God to the world.

One opportunity each of us are going to have take part in what God is doing here at Hopewell will occur next Sunday.  We are going to have a very special day here next Sunday as we gather around God’s Table for the Sacrament of Communion during worship – then gather next Sunday afternoon at 3:00 to share some of the ideas God gave us as we spent last fall in our Prayer Groups. I look forward to seeing each of you at Worship and at the sharing time next Sunday as together we strive to listen to God respond to His call to us.

You heard Dresden, Sonny, Jay and Jimmy respond in the affirmative to the Ordination questions earlier. That’s a way of their responding to God’s call by saying:

“Here I am. Tell me what you want me to do”.

“I want to be Your glorious person – show me how I can show Your glorious will to the world”.

What about you?

How do you respond?

If we truly want this year to be different for us as individuals and as a Church, it’s up to each of us to respond to God by saying – in our own way:

“Here I am. Tell me what you want me to do”.

“I want to be Your glorious person – show me how I can show Your glorious will to the world”.

The members of the Session are called by God.

We are all called by God.

We are all called.

How do we respond?

How do you respond?

I urge you to decide that this year will not be “business as usual” or “just the same” for you – and for us as a Church.

I urge you to commit to making it different.

I urge you to let God change you.

I urge you to let God change us — so we can indeed take advantage of all the new possibilities – new potential – - and new opportunities that God is laying before us – and become God’s glorious people – called to show to the world our glorious God. Amen.

1 Peter 4:7-11

1 Peter 4:7-11

Do You Serve The King?

November 26, 2006

Christ The King Sunday

Part 3 in Hopewell 2006 Stewardship Series

 

            We’re now into our third and final week of our Stewardship emphasis for this year. 

Remember the joke I’ve brought up the past 2 weeks about how the minister told the congregation that he had good news and bad news – the good news being that the Church  had all the money it needed to do whatever God called then to do – but the bad news being that most of the money the Church needed was in their wallets!

Also remember that I’ve said the past 2 weeks that stewardship does not just involve what was in your wallets – but that it had to involve everything you have.

Stewardship has got to be more than just giving your money – although as we saw last week that certainly has to be a part of it. Stewardship has got to involve your life – all you have – everything God has given you – whether it be money – time – talents – or whatever God has blessed you with. Actually, our stewardship of what God has given us is our response to God.  We see what God has blessed with – whether it be money – time – talents – or whatever – and we want to return a portion of it to God for His work in the world.  

Stewardship is indeed more than the Capitol One Credit Card Card commercial asks:

What’s in your wallet?

Stewardship involves your life – it involves everything you have.  While it indeed has to include what’s in your wallet, it has to be a commitment of everything you have — money – time – talents – or whatever God has blessed you with. All that we can offer has to be given to God for God’s work in the world if we are going to truly be good stewards of God’s gifts to us.

So – as I’ve said the past 2 weeks – the theme for my stewardship sermons this year could be: 

Stewardship – it’s more than what’s in your wallet

Stewardship is seeing all God has blessed us with – — giving praise to God for all God has blessed us with – and using all God has blessed us with for His work in the world.

Last week we took a hard look at the financial aspect of stewardship – giving  our tithe to God.  Today — as we celebrate Christ the King Sunday – I want us to take a look at how we serve Christ – how we serve our King – with everything we have.

Today is Christ the King Sunday – the last Sunday of the Liturgical year before the beginning the Season of Advent next Sunday – the day we focus on the fact that Christ is King over all the universe.

Christ is King.

But – do we serve Christ?

Is Christ king over every aspect of our lives?

What would our lives look like if we let Christ be the King – the ruler – over every aspect of our lives – and we gave every aspect to Him for His work? 

How would we live if indeed every aspect of our lives — our money – our time – our talents – or whatever God has blessed us with – were given to Christ for His work?

Today we celebrate that Christ is King.

But – is Christ your king?

Do You Serve The King?

Listen to God’s word from 1 Peter as Peter calls us to live with every aspect of our lives under the Kingship of Christ.  

READ SCRIPTURE

Do you serve the King?

Such a question may have brought a resounding “no” from the members of this congregation around 1776 – as the members would have thought about King George of England and how they wanted freedom from his tyranny.

But – as I stand here today – in 2006 – and pose that question – and refer not to King George but to Christ – who is Lord of all – King of all – and ruler of all – and ask:

Do you serve the King?

I would dare say that most of you would say:

Yes! 

Or at least I want to!

Christ is King.

This means that – if we are going to be His servants – we have to serve Him with all we have – our money – our time – our talents – or whatever God has blessed us with. 

As many of you know, I enjoy watching sports. I have a friend in North Carolina who bought a Dish TV system – and bought some of the extra sports packages to go along with it.  He shared with me that – soon after he bought the system – his wife asked him if sports channels were the only ones their new dish system would receive!  After hearing about that, Sally made sure that our cable TV system would pick up more than sports.  I’m just glad that we have 2 TVs and you can tune them to different channels.

What this is leading to is a observation of mine that when a football team takes the field this, they want to be – as they say — “in the zone.” “The zone” is a state of being in which an athlete is performing at his or her very best; when they are utilizing their unique talents to the best of their ability when it matters most. When athletes are “in the zone” their mind, body, and spirit are all in sync. They execute with efficiency and precision. Their eyes blaze with confidence, and their opponents wither under their unrelenting assault. An athlete “in the zone” is almost unstoppable, and when an entire team is “in the zone” – well – their opponents don’t stand a chance.  As the fans at Duke are fond of chanting – “start the bus” – because the other team might as well load up and go home.    

But – you know — being “in the zone” isn’t something that just athletes desire. It’s desirable in most every human endeavor. When an artist is “in the zone”, they see nothing but the subject and the canvas, and with deft strokes of the brush brings the image to life. When a surgeon is “in the zone”, they can stand for hours at the operating table performing minute and delicate procedures with no margin for error. When an actress is “in the zone”, they become the character they’re portraying. When a video game player is ‘in the zone”, they’re no longer on the couch pushing buttons, they’re in the maze or on the field or living whatever adventure is being played out on the screen.

To be “in the zone” is to be at your very best when it’s needed most, to be using your skills and talents to their maximum potential. It’s not just a great way to play a game or do a job or create a work of art—it’s the way God would have us to live if we want our lives to count. A life that counts is a life that adds up to something when it’s all said and done, a life that makes a difference in this world and in the lives of people.

I read about a minister who was out for a run one winter day. He passed an older gentleman out for a walk.  The older gentleman was moving pretty slowly. As the minister got closer he noticed that the older gentleman was leaning pretty heavily on a cane in his hands. He passed him – but on his way back he noticed the older gentleman in his driveway.  The gentleman had paused – and was poking at the snow with his cane. When the minister got close he could see the gentleman was trying to knock the snow off of some low lying branches that had been buried by the passing plow. It took considerable effort to beat back the heavy, wet snow. The minister stopped and helped him – then went on his way. What struck the minister about the scene was that it wasn’t enough for this gentleman to take a walk on a balmy February day. He had to do something, get something accomplished: he had to solve a problem, to rescue his frozen branches. He wanted to walk back into the house knowing he’d done something worthwhile.

Isn’t that how it is for all of us as we make our way through this world?

We want to do more than just get some exercise and enjoy the scenery. We want to do something. We want to make a difference. We want someone, or something, to be better off because we passed this way. We want our lives to count.

We want to be “in the zone” – so to speak.

Do you serve the King?

Do you serve Christ – the King of all things?

If we are going to be servants of Christ we have to serve Him with all we have – our money – our time – our talents – or whatever God has blessed us with. We are going to have to use all God has given us for His glory – so our lives can be “in the zone” for Him – so we can make a difference for Him – so our lives can count for Him.

Do you serve the King?

In order to do really serve Christ – our King – be “in the zone” for Him – make a difference for Him – have your life count for Him – you have become a good steward of the resources God has placed in your hands. We’ve talked about money, and learned that if we want our lives to count we have to tithe of what God has given us financially. But – to really serve Christ – we have to also use our talents and abilities.    If we want to be “in the zone” – if we want to make a difference for Christ in the world – if we want our lives to count for Him – if we want to serve the King — we have to use our God-given gifts to their maximum potential.

Our lives need to be “in the zone.”

Do you serve the King?

In order to do really serve Christ – our King – be “in the zone” for Him – make a difference for Him – have your life count for Him – you have become a good steward of the resources God has placed in your hands.

But – how can you do this?

Our passage from 1 Peter 4:7-11 gives us some pointers – some instructions – on how to truly live a life that serve the King – a life that is “in the zone” for Christ.  

         1 Peter was written to Christians who had been scattered into the pagan Roman territories of Asia Minor, or Turkey. As followers of Christ in a pagan culture, they often felt like aliens and strangers. But Peter challenged them to be deliberate strangers, to live such good lives among the people that they might see their good works, and be ready to meet God on the day He drew near. In other words, he wanted them to live lives that counted.

I see in this passage three qualities that can enable you to play, or work, or live, “in the zone” – to play, or work, or live as servants of Christ – the King – letting every aspect of your life be used for Christ’s glory.   

The first quality you need is focus.

Focus on your strengths. When you’re “in the zone “ – when you are letting Christ use your strengths for His glory  – when you are utilizing your very best skills or talents to serve the King – to serve Christ – and make a difference for His glory in the world – you are truly serving Christ.

Find your strength – and use it.

You don’t see Peyton Manning — one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL —  playing linebacker. Peyton’s a smart guy and a great athlete – and he’d certainly work hard at it and do a decent job playing linebacker. But it would be a waste of his talents. It wouldn’t be satisfying for him and it wouldn’t allow him to make his maximum contribution to the team.

In the same way, if you want your life to count, you have to identify your particular gifts and strengths, and then focus on using and developing them.

Look at verse 10 in our passage for today:

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”

Peter is reminding us that each of us have been given a unique combination of gifts and abilities by God to do His work in this world. Notice that each one of us has received gifts. Each person has been given special abilities to contribute to the life of the church. When you discover your gifts – your strengths – and focus on using them for Christ and His work – when you’re living your life “in the zone” for God — when you’re able to focus your time and energy on using your gifts to the best of your abilities and for God’s glory — when you are letting Christ use your strengths for His glory  – when you are utilizing your very best skills or talents to serve the King – to serve Christ – and make a difference for His glory in the world – you are truly serving Christ. You are serving the King, and the impact can be supernatural.

Do you serve the King?

When Billy Graham is sharing the good news of Christ to a stadium full of seeking people, he’s “in the zone”. The results are supernatural, beyond what they would be if any one else were on that platform, because that’s his gift. He identified it a long time ago, and made a strategic decision to operate within his “zone of effectiveness” and stay there for his whole life. That’s why he doesn’t pastor a church, though he’d probably do a better than average job of it. He hasn’t joined a seminary faculty as a professor of evangelism, though students would no doubt learn a lot from him. That focus has enabled him to preach the good news to more people more effectively than any person who’s ever lived – and in focusing on his gift, he serve the King – he serves Christ.

Do you serve the King?

Now — your gifts may not be as remarkably distinctive or fruitful as Billy Graham’s — but you have been entrusted with gifts for doing God’s work in the world – for serving the King – for accomplishing the work of Christ in the Church and in the world.

You need to identify them.

You need to use them.

Natural talents—musical talent — artistic abilities —  mechanical skills, an aptitude for working with numbers, or words, or computers, or people. Life experiences. All these things are gifts – and can be used for serving the King – for serving Christ – for doing His will and work in the Church and in the world.

Maybe you’ve had to overcome health issues, or you’ve lived through a divorce, and you’re able to come alongside people in those circumstances to offer wisdom and comfort and help.

Maybe you were raised in a happy, godly home and are able to share that health and happiness with others by opening your home to them or by teaching them what you’ve learned.

Maybe you’ve been trained as an accountant, or a programmer, or an educator. Those gifts can certainly be used by the Church – and when you use them you will be “in the zone” for God’s glory – serving the King – doing the will of God in the world.

Do you serve the King?

Stewardship isn’t just about tithing your income and volunteering at church —  stewardship means leveraging all of your God-given resources for the advance of the kingdom. It means using your gifts to serve the King here at Hopewell – but it also means using them every day – wherever you may be. A teacher, for example,  that doesn’t take advantage of her influence on students and her voice in academic forum is not being a faithful steward, no matter how much money she’s giving or how many classes she teaches.

The point is that each one of us have been gifted with a unique set of abilities, experiences, talents, and training that enables us to make a difference in the world for Christ’s sake. Each of us have gifts to give to Christ – to be used to serve Christ – our King – in the church and beyond.  We will be “in the zone”, so to speak, and have the greatest impact on the world when we discover those areas of strength and focus on them, both in the church and out in the world.

Do you serve the King?

Have you identified the gifts you have – the   unique set of abilities, experiences, talents, and training God has blessed you with – and how you can use them to serve Christ in the Church and the world?

Have you identified how you can live “in the zone” for God’s glory – and be used for God in the Church and the world?

Do you serve the King?

The first element of living in the zone – of serving the King — is to discover your gifts, and focusing on using them for God’s purposes.

The second element of operating “in the zone” – serving the King – using all you have for His glory and His work — making a difference for God in the world — is excellence. It’s not enough to be operating in your area of strength — being “in the zone” means doing it well, attaining peak performance.

A musician “in the zone” isn’t just playing the instrument they love, they’re playing it well, to the best of their ability.

A good football team is not an effective team because week after week they manage to get “in the zone” and stay there. The offense clicks, the defense does their job, and special teams come through when they need to. It doesn’t happen because they try harder on game day than the other teams or want it more badly. It’s because of their commitment to preparing themselves all week long to be their very best against that particular opponent. Mentally, physically, relationally—they are disciplined.

Look at what Peter says about the exercise of your gifts in verse 11:

“If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides.”

Whatever your gift, wherever you serve, you should do it with a commitment to being your very best.

Whether your gift is singing, or playing an instrument, or teaching, or counting money, or balancing the books, or typing, or serving coffee, or holding babies, or whatever — you should do it to the best of your ability – because it is your gift to God – it is your service to the King. Be on time, fully prepared, attentive, and “prayed up” in advance. Whatever you do – it’s important. That’s what it takes to be excellent – what it takes to be “in the zone” for God – what it means to use all you have to serve the King.  

Do you serve the King?

Are you giving all you have – your time – your money – your talents – to Christ? 

Are you living “in the zone” – using your talents and gifts for God’s glory in the Church and the world?

“Living in the zone” requires focus and excellence. It requires working within your unique gifts and using them to the best of your ability

So – we need focus – we need excellence – but we also need intensity.   

To live “in the zone” — – to truly serve the King – serve Christ – with all our gifts and all our abilities – we have to live with intensity.

If you’ve ever looked into the eyes an athlete who is “in the zone” you know what I’m talking about. When an athlete is “in the zone” – it’s as though nothing exists beyond what’s happening on the field. They’re fully in the moment. There’s no distraction; no letdown, no holding back. Nothing matters—the weather, the crowd, or the sore ankle. The field they are playing on becomes for them the most important piece of real estate on Earth. Those 60 minutes of game time are the only moments that matter.

The same is true for an artist or a musician or a writer or a carpenter or a surgeon. To be “in the zone” is to be fully engaged in the task at hand.

That kind of intensity is essential to a life that counts for Christ – a life that is serving the King – a life where we are using all our gifts and abilities for God and God’s work in the Church and in the world.  

Peter addresses this intensity in verse 7 –

“The end of all things is near.”

The end of all things is near. What did he mean by that? Did he mean that Christ could return at any moment? That the world could come to an end at any time? Yes, that’s exactly what he meant. All the early believers lived with that sense of expectancy about Christ’s return. After all, He said he would be coming back. That awareness brought a sense of urgency, of intensity, to their lives. Every day mattered. Every decision had eternal consequences. Every denari they spent on themselves was one less denari to give to the poor.

That was living with intensity. That was living a life that mattered – that was “in the zone” – that made a difference for Christ in the world. That was living a life that was truly serving the King.

Now – they were wrong in believing Christ would return at any moment.  We know that – now that it is 2,000 years later and Christ has not returned. But — were they wrong to live with such expectancy – such intensity?

No, that’s how Christ-followers are supposed to live, even after 2,000 years of waiting. He didn’t say when He was coming back, He just said, “soon.” Now, apparently, His idea of soon is a little bit different than ours. Soon means anytime. Suddenly, unexpectedly, like a thief. Since you don’t know when a thief will strike, you lock your door every night. In the same way, since we don’t know when the end will come, we live every day like it could be our last, like we’re running out of time. Because we are.  Which means if you’re going to use your God-given gifts in service to others, use them now. Today. Not next year. Not when you get out of school. Not when the kids are older. Not when work slows down. Not when you retire. Now. Today. This moment.

That’s being “in the zone” for Christ.

That’s intensity.

That’s truly serving the King.

Truly serving the King.

Living “in the zone” for Christ. 

It takes focusing on your God given gifts and abilities.

It takes using your God given gifts and abilities with excellence.

It takes using your God given gifts and abilities with intensity.

So – are you serving the King?

How has God uniquely gifted you? What gifts, what life experiences, what natural talents, what professional skills has God given to you?

Are you using those gifts and talents to the best of your ability?

Is there a sense of urgency that compels you to take advantage of every opportunity to use what God has given you for His glory?

Are you living “in the zone” – focusing on God’s gifts to you – using them with excellence and intensity?

Are you serving the King?

If you want to truly serve Christ, you have to live “in the zone.”

So – stewardship in indeed more than what’s in your wallet – but it’s using what’s in your wallet – your money – but also everything God has blessed you with – your time, your talents, your abilities, for God’s glory and the work of Christ in the Church and in the world. It’s serving Christ the King with all we have.

So – are you serving the King?

Amen.

1 Peter 2:1-10

1 Peter 2:1-10

The Fifth and Sixth Great Ends: Working For Righteousness, Showing God to the World

Part 5 of The Great Ends of the Church series

August 20, 2006

As Sally and I are packing and preparing for our move to South Carolina, I have been – as I have told you the last several weeks — praying and thinking a lot about what messages God would have me bring to you these last few weeks we have together. As I continue to pray about this, I continue to be struck with the feeling that God would have us to look at what it means to be a Church – what the Church is to be about – what the Church is to be doing.

The past 4 weeks we have been doing this by looking at one of the first statements in our denomination’s Book Of Order – which has become known as “The Six Great Ends Of The Church”.

Listen to what the Book Of Order says:

The great ends of the church are the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind; the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God; the maintenance of divine worship; the preservation of the truth; the promotion of social righteousness; and the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world. (G-1.0200)

These are great words! They also give us a vision for what it means to be the Church — what the Church is to be about – what the Church is to be doing.

You see – the Church is not about the building – it’s not about the Minister – it’s about God – it’s about Christ – it’s about people who are trying to fulfill these “Great Ends” the Book Of Order lay out for us. If Wentworth Presbyterian Church is going to be the Church God wills for it to be, then it will have to be a Church that is committed to living out these “Great Ends”.

Listen to them again:

The great ends of the church are the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind; the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God; the maintenance of divine worship; the preservation of the truth; the promotion of social righteousness; and the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world. (G-1.0200)

6 “Great Ends”.

1. the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind

2. the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God

3. the maintenance of divine worship

4. the preservation of the truth

5. the promotion of social righteousness

6. the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world

4 weeks ago we looked at the first of these Great Ends — the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind – and saw that – if Wentworth Presbyterian is going to be the Church God is calling it to be – then you are going to have to be people who are committed to the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind – or evangelism.

3 weeks ago we looked at the second Great End of the Church – the second thing necessary for Wentworth Presbyterian to be the Church God intends for Wentworth Presbyterian to be. That is:

the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God – or LOVE.

If the Wentworth Presbyterian Church is going to be the Church God intends for the Wentworth Presbyterian Church to be, you are going to have to be committed to be loving people – people who experience God’s love for yourself – share it with each other – and share it with the world.

2 weeks ago we looked at the third Great End of the Church –

The maintenance of Divine Worship –

and discovered that – if Wentworth Presbyterian is going to be the Church God intends for Wentworth Presbyterian to be, you are going to have to have a heart for worship – and focus on God – not just when you are gathered here – but all the time!

Then – last week – we looked at the fourth Great End of the Church –

the preservation of the truth –

and discovered that – if Wentworth Presbyterian is going to be the Church God intends for Wentworth Presbyterian to be, you are going to have to be committed to shining the light of Christ into a world that would be very dark with Christ’s light.

So – 4 things that are needed if the Wentworth Presbyterian Church is going to be the Church God intends for Wentworth Presbyterian to be – 4 things for you to be committed to:

1. the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind

2. the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God

3. the maintenance of divine worship

4. the preservation of the truth

But – there is more!

Not only do you need evangelism — love – and a heart for worship – and a commitment to shining God’s light into the world – but the 5^th and 6^th Great Ends are also needed:

the promotion of social righteousness

the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world

Listen to how Peter calls on us to be a holy people – people who work for God’s will in the world and show God to the world:

READ 1 PETER 2:1-10

Some of the most popular shows on TV are the “reality TV” shows – and some of the most popular of these are what I call the “makeover shows”, in which a team of experts are brought in to transform somebody’s wardrobe, car, backyard, house, family, or physical appearance.

A few of the titles of the shows are “Extreme Makeover”, “Ambush Makeover”, “Head to Toe”, “Star Makeover”, “Renovate My Family”, “Makeover Mamas”, “Style Court”, and “How Do I Look?”.

The one considered the most bold and brash of them all – and one of the most popular — is a show called “The Swan” — which promises to turn “ugly ducklings” into “beauty queens”. Each contestant is assigned to a team of makeover experts, including a therapist, a personal trainer, a life coach, a dentist, and a cosmetic surgeon. They undergo a three-month treatment program that is supposed to result in a mental, emotional, and physical transformation. Upon completion of their treatments, some are selected to participate in a beauty pageant, with the chance to become “The Ultimate Swan”.

The website for the show gives information on former contestants.

One is a 33-year-old mother of 5 children. She has never felt beautiful and was the ugly kid at every age, in every class.

Another is a 28-year-old flight attendant in a serious rut. She has incredibly loving parents who want nothing but happiness for her. Unfortunately, she can’t see the beautiful person they see. She wants a total life change.

Still another is 27, an office worker, and has been married for one year. She grew up feeling that no one expected much from her, and so she didn’t expect much from herself. She’s tired of feeling average and is ready to dedicate herself to getting in shape and becoming a better person.

Then there is another who is 36 and recently divorced. She has worked most of her life managing volunteer services. She works so hard helping others in order to avoid doing any work on herself. She needs this life transformation to stop running and start being the person she wants to be.

These women, and the men who appear on similar shows, don’t just want to be a little bit thinner or a little bit healthier. They want to be transformed; they want to become new, better, different people.

These shows are so popular because there are many people who want to be transformed – to be changed. There are many people who want to be what they consider to be “better people” – who are not just curious about what they would look like, but want to know what they could be like if they had 3 months with a team of “makeover experts”. Maybe they not only want to look better – but want to be more disciplined, more patient, more kind, more organized. Maybe they want to be better parents, or have happier marriages, or want to be more successful in their work.

These “Makeover Reality TV” shows speak to those longings. They tell us that, with the right help and some hard work, we could really be somebody.

Time magazine analyzed the shows’ success this way:

“What people want is a new identity. They want to believe that this new, glorious self was inside them all along. These shows cater to the fantasy that if someone with a gifted eye took the time, that person would see your beauty and uniqueness, and would probe past the lie of your drab existence and bring the shimmering, true you to the surface.”

In a sense we all probably want to be better, healthier, more beautiful people.

Well, there is good news.

The good news is you can be.

The good news is we can be.

Transformation is possible.

In fact – I’ll tell you a secret — with God’s help, you can become one of the most beautiful people on Earth.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

The 5^th and 6^th great ends of the Church are:

the promotion of social righteousness

the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world

If Wentworth Presbyterian Church is going to be the Church God intends for Wentworth Presbyterian to be, you are going to have to be holy people – transformed by God into the people who promote social righteousness and exhibit the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.

In other words, you are going to have to become the most beautiful people on earth.

The last 4 weeks – as we have been focusing on the 6 Great Ends Of The Church and what it means to be the people of God – we’ve seen several times that in many cases it means going against what the world says and does and going towards what God says and calls us to do. As followers of Christ, we might sometimes feel like strangers in a culture that wants less and less to do with God and His truth. Peter uses the word “stranger” several times in his epistle to describe Christians in a pagan world. We are to be strangers in the sense that we’re on a mission as we make our way through this world. We don’t just drift along with the cultural current; we don’t just mark time here until we get to our heavenly home. We are people of purpose, pointing others toward God as we travel through this world.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

The 5^th and 6^th great ends of the Church are:

the promotion of social righteousness

the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world

If Wentworth Presbyterian Church is going to be the Church God intends for Wentworth Presbyterian to be, you are going to have to be holy people – transformed by God into the people who promote social righteousness and exhibit the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.

I believe that followers of Christ are to be people of distinction who, by the beauty of our lives, show people a better way to live.

Christians are to be the most beautiful people on earth.

How so?

First of all — Christians are distinguished by their moral excellence.

The first thing that distinguishes followers of Christ is moral excellence.

Peter says in 1 Peter 1:13-16

“Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’”

Now that you are free from your past, that your future in heaven is secure, and that the blessings of God’s Kingdom are already yours to enjoy, live like it.

Live differently.

Live distinctively.

That expression, “prepare your minds for action,” could be paraphrased by saying: “Roll up your sleeves,” or, “Get on with it.”

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

In thinking of some of the contestants in The Swan—women who always thought of themselves as ugly ducklings, who never expected much of themselves, they were –- in a sense — living in ignorance; they weren’t aware of their uniqueness and potential and inherent beauty. That ignorance shaped their life and behavior. They thought they were unattractive so they dressed like it and acted like it. They thought they had no potential so they didn’t strive or dream or take risks. They were living in ignorance.

Peter doesn’t want that to happen to his readers, or to us. He tells us:

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

For decades now, some people have been telling us that our existence on this planet is an accident, a cosmic coincidence, and that human beings are nothing more than highly evolved animals. They try to tell us that when we die we simply cease to exist; we return to the Earth from which we came. So why are we surprised when people act like animals, satisfying every physical appetite with no sense of self-control or propriety? Why are we surprised when life is so cheap that a person will kill another human being for $20, or because someone got cut off on the highway? Why are we surprised when so many people live aimlessly, drifting from one relationship to another, one party to another, with no sense of purpose? If this life is all there is, if there are no eternal consequences, if there is no God to whom we must give an account, why shouldn’t people just live for today and do what they please?

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

Followers of Christ know better than that.

We understand where we came from, why we’re here, and what we were created for. So, we should live like it. We should value life. We should control our appetites. We should take care of our bodies. We should respect other people’s rights and property.

Peter says in 1 Peter 2:2: “Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.”

These are behaviors that demean us and demean other people, so we take them off like a pair of dirty old clothes.

So, negatively speaking, moral excellence means not conforming to the standards of a culture that is ignorant of God’s truth and love. Positively speaking, moral excellence means being holy.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

Now, at first reading, this doesn’t sound especially appealing.

“Holy” isn’t one of the top 10 wannabe’s in our culture. People wannabe popular, they wannabe famous, they wannabe good-looking, they wanna have some fun. But you don’t see many magazines at the newsstands offering “10 secrets to a more holy you.” To most people, holiness sounds like a stuffed shirt; it sounds boring and stifling and joyless.

But the root idea of holiness is “otherness.”

To be holy is to be set apart from the rest, to be different or distinctive.

And since God is the ultimate “other,” holiness also means being like God.

There are some ways in which we can never be like God. We can never be all-powerful, all-knowing, or everywhere-present. But God is also good and kind and merciful and just and faithful and pure and generous and true. And we can be these things! We can’t be perfect, but we can be excellent. And when we are, we will stand out in a culture of moral confusion.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

The 5^th and 6^th great ends of the Church are:

the promotion of social righteousness

the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world

If Wentworth Presbyterian Church is going to be the Church God intends for Wentworth Presbyterian to be, you are going to have to be holy people – transformed by God into the people who promote social righteousness and exhibit the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.

In other words, you are going to have to become the most beautiful people on earth.

Unfortunately, many Christians are not doing a very good job of being that these days.

The pollster George Barna has done an extensive survey of people who claim to have a personal, life-changing relationship with Christ, and he finds an appalling lack of distinction from the rest of the population when it comes to lifestyle and behavior. Christian couples are almost as likely to get a divorce as the rest of the population. Christian singles are just about as likely to be active sexually as single people who are not Christians. Nearly 50 percent of people who claim to be born-again followers of Christ believe that it is morally acceptable to live with someone without being married. That’s only 10 percent less than the general population. No wonder so many people have a hard time taking Christianity seriously—they see no discernible difference in the quality of our lives.

Suppose someone were to follow you around for a week or so.

Would they see a discernible difference in the quality of your life, or would it look pretty much like everybody else’s?

Suppose they were to listen in on your conversations in the hallway or the lunchroom or the locker room.

Would they hear gossip or backstabbing or foul language or sexual innuendo?

What if they sat beside you as you surfed TV channels or the Internet, would they find you lingering over shows or sites that were excessively violent or exploitive or pornographic?

Suppose they were to follow you around as you did your daily work, whatever that happens to be.

Would they find you wasting company time or money, losing your temper when things go wrong, humiliating people, or cutting corners on jobs when no one is looking?

If they were to sit at the dinner table in your home, would they be surprised at the lack of meaningful conversation between you and your spouse, or at how harsh or inattentive you were to your children?

Suppose they were to go shopping with you, would they see you spending money as freely as everybody else on things that really don’t matter and don’t last?

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

The 5^th and 6^th great ends of the Church are:

the promotion of social righteousness

the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world

If Wentworth Presbyterian Church is going to be the Church God intends for Wentworth Presbyterian to be, you are going to have to be holy people – transformed by God into the people who promote social righteousness and exhibit the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.

In other words, you are going to have to become the most beautiful people on earth.

Our behavior ought to be so distinctive that it causes people to stop and take notice. Not because it’s so weird, but because it is so attractive, so excellent. That’s what it means to be a person of distinction: showing people a better way to live.

` But, you know, moral excellence alone won’t give us influence with the people around us. Holiness, while it is admirable, can also be intimidating and distancing. How do you get close to a person who seems to be morally superior? And how do you pursue moral excellence without appearing self-righteous or judgmental?

If we are holy as God is holy, people may notice that we’re different, they may even admire certain aspects of our lives, but they won’t be influenced by our lives unless something else is present. That something else is love.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

The 5^th and 6^th great ends of the Church are:

the promotion of social righteousness

the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world

If Wentworth Presbyterian Church is going to be the Church God intends for Wentworth Presbyterian to be, you are going to have to be holy people – transformed by God into the people who promote social righteousness and exhibit the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.

In other words, you are going to have to become the most beautiful people on earth.

You have to be distinguished by a moral excellence.

You also have to be distinguished by a remarkable love.

That’s the second transformation God wants to work in your life. He wants to turn you into people of remarkable love.

Peter writes in 1 Peter 1:22:

“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.”

Peter uses two different words for love here. The first is the Greek word philos, which we know describes brotherly love. It’s the love that people commonly feel toward their friends and family. And certainly, as God’s people, we ought to have positive, loving relationships with the important people in our lives.

But then Peter uses a second word that is not quite as familiar as the first, but one we use from time to time because there is no English word that quite captures the richness of it. It’s the word agape.

agape is the word the Bible uses to describe God’s kind of love.

It’s a unique love, unlike anything you find in human relationships.

It’s unconditional love, sacrificial love. This kind of love doesn’t just respond to people, it reaches out to people. It seeks people—even when they don’t want to be loved, even when they are hard to love. This is the kind of love that sets followers of Christ apart from the rest of the population.

Anyone can love their friends and family, but Christians are called to love everyone.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

Now, Peter is mainly speaking here about the way Christians love one another. He’s saying that the quality of relationships we enjoy in the church ought to be so honest, so sincere, so transparent, and so authentic that the world can’t help but notice a difference.

Is that true of us?

Suppose someone were to be visiting the church this morning, sitting right here in the service for the very first time.

Would they be surprised at how friendly we were toward one another, and toward them?

Would they be amazed at how many people said hello to them and introduced themselves?

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

But even though Peter is speaking primarily about love for the family of God, certainly this agape love ought to spill over into other relationships as well—to the people in our neighborhood, to our clients and co-workers and competitors, to strangers we meet on the street, extended family, even to people who might be described as our enemies.

We all have people in our lives who are difficult to love, who have snubbed us or hurt us or taken advantage of us.

Are we willing to forgive past offenses, to overlook shortcomings, to give people a second chance?

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

The 5^th and 6^th great ends of the Church are:

the promotion of social righteousness

the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world

If Wentworth Presbyterian Church is going to be the Church God intends for Wentworth Presbyterian to be, you are going to have to be holy people – transformed by God into the people who promote social righteousness and exhibit the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.

In other words, you are going to have to become the most beautiful people on earth.

You have to be distinguished by a moral excellence.

You have to be distinguished by a remarkable love.

One without the other isn’t good enough.

Moral excellence without love is cold; people admire holiness, but they keep their distance.

Love without moral excellence is flimsy; people feel comfortable around us, but walk away unchanged.

But combine moral excellence with remarkable love, and you produce people of irresistible influence.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

God can transform you into the most beautiful people on earth – people of moral excellence and remarkable love.

Have you experienced this kind of transformation, this total makeover?

It’s not a three-month project. It’s a lifelong process, but it begins when you let God work in your life and make a difference in your life – then work through you to make a difference in the world.

God has already begun that work in many of our lives, but Peter reminds us here that we are still a work in progress.

“Like newborn babies, grow up in your salvation.” (1 Peter 2:2)

If you were to ask God to do some work in your life these days, where would it be?

In the area of moral excellence?

Changing some behavior?

Or would it be in the area of remarkable love?

Enabling you to reach out to someone you might have overlooked or stuggled with?

Invite the Lord to begin that transforming work in your life today.

At the beginning of the message, we talked about the fantasy that, if someone with a gifted eye took the time, they might see our inherent beauty and uniqueness. They might probe past our drab exterior and bring our shimmering, true self to the surface.

It turns out that is no fantasy at all — it’s the gospel.

It’s the good news that you have been created in the image of God, that your failures and flaws can be redeemed, and that by God’s grace you can become a person of distinction who, by the beauty of your life, shows the people around you a better way to live.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

The 5^th and 6^th great ends of the Church are:

the promotion of social righteousness

the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world

If Wentworth Presbyterian Church is going to be the Church God intends for Wentworth Presbyterian to be, you are going to have to be holy people – transformed by God into the people who promote social righteousness and exhibit the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.

In other words, you are going to have to become the most beautiful people on earth.

The good news is that each of you have been created in the image of God, that your failures and flaws can be redeemed, and that by God’s grace each of you can become a person of distinction who, by the beauty of your life, shows the people around you a better way to live.

In other words, God through you can fulfill the 5^th and 6^th Great Ends of the Church:

the promotion of social righteousness

the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world

In other words, God can transform you – so that by your moral excellence and remarkable love you can become the most beautiful people on earth. Amen.

Genesis 9:8-17

GENESIS 9:8-17

I PETER 3:18-22

MARK 1:9-15

“THERE IS NEW LIFE”

LENT 1 COMUNION MARCH 5, 2006

Today is the first Sunday in Lent.

Lent — that season of the church year when we focus upon the new life God offers us in Christ — and how we can respond to God’s offer by a new commitment of our lives to God and to Christ. We focus on the new life God offers us in Christ by focusing on the death of Christ — for it is the death of Christ that gives us new life. Of course we also know that Christ rose again – but unless we focus on how He gave His life for us – we will never truly understand the victory He gives us. And — as we focus on how Christ gave His life for us — we reflect upon how we can give our lives to Him.

We are also beginning a journey of sorts today as a Church in that our Gospel passages for the Season of Lent focus on Jesus’ journey on the road to Jerusalem. As we “travel” – so to speak – with Jesus – I believe we can hear God’s call to us to travel our own roads with Him towards greater commitment to Him.

As we gather around God’s table to begin our journey down the road to commitment today, we will see that following the road to commitment gives us the promise of new life – and a new beginning for our lives. God’s covenant with Noah from an Old Testament and Epistle viewpoint are before us – as is the Gospel lesson on the baptism and temptation of Christ.

READ SCRIPTURE

These are stories of new life — of new creation — of new beginnings — stories where there is new life.

There is a new beginning.

There is new life.

For Noah — the waters of the flood had subsided — but had completely destroyed the world.

All its inhabitants were dead — except for

Noah

His wife

Their sons Shem — Ham — Japeth

Their wives

8 people.

8 people and 2 of every kind of animal — male and female — enough to begin again the work of populating the world.

So – from the destructive waters of the flood –

There is a new beginning.

There is new life.

But — why was all this necessary?

Why had God destroyed all living creatures — except for those in the Ark?

Because people had turned away from God.

The author of Genesis tells us something we really should not have to be told — wickedness was great upon the earth — and every inclination in the hearts of people was evil.

This should not surprise us.

The created had forgotten the creator — and so the creator God decides to start over.

The flood comes — and kills every person and animal except for those in the Ark — but there is new life. Even from the destructive waters of the flood.

There is a new beginning.

There is new life.

Does the flood really change things?

Are Noah and his family really all that different from all those people killed in the flood?

No

They sin.

They forget God.

Nothing really changes

Or — does it?

Something changes — something is different.

What is it?

Noah looks — and there is a multi-colored bow in the sky.

Why?

Something is different.

What?

What’s different?

In a sense – God has changed.

In a sense — God is different.

God chooses to change.

God chooses to do something different.

God makes a promise — a covenant — to no longer destroy — but to save life.

So — there is something different.

God — who had sent the flood to destroy all people — promises to never destroy all of life again.

“Never again.” God says

“Never again”

“Never again”

New life indeed emerges from the destruction.

Hope indeed emerges from devastation.

Hope for new life comes from mass death.

There is a new beginning.

There is new life.

God sets the bow in the sky to be a constant reminder to God and to us that God has promised to no longer destroy all of life — but to save life.

I read a story not long ago about a boy named Tommy who was visiting his grandmother. His grandmother read him a Bible Story every day. One day she read him the story of Noah and the flood –- emphasizing the beautiful rainbow and God’s promise in the rainbow. It was a beautiful, sunny day that day – but later in the day Tommy’s grandmother noticed him staring at the sky.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Oh – I’m trying to find the rainbow” was Tommy’s response.

“Well, Tommy” his grandmother told him –

“we don’t see rainbows on sunny days like this – but only on cloudy, rainy days – when the sun breaks through the clouds to remind us that God is with us.”

Indeed, God sets the bow in the sky to be a constant reminder to God and to us that God has promised to no longer destroy all of life — but to save life – and to remind us that even in our most cloudy days – our most trying times – He is with us – and there can be a new beginning – there can be new life.

In the Gospel passage before us Jesus emerges from His baptism and testing preaching the coming of the Kingdom of God our need to repent.

Just as new life came from the waters of the flood — the proclamation of new life came from the waters of Jesus’ baptism.

There is a new beginning.

There is new life.

And so – I believe our question as we begin this season of Lent – this journey on the road to commitment — is this:

How can we respond to God –

How can respond to Jesus – and make this new beginning – live this new life — God has promised to Noah — and offers to us through Jesus Christ?

How can we respond to God – who promises in the rainbow and through Christ to always be with us?

How can we respond to God’s promise of new beginnings – and new life?

We can give of ourselves to Christ.

We can hear His call to repent and believe.

We can turn from sin and turn to God.

We can believe that God — and only God — can save us from our sins and give us new life — a new life of hope for this life and the next.

We can live like we believe that new life is indeed possible – that new beginnings are indeed possible — and that God does indeed save us.

We can live in that new life — that new way –God’s way — that God makes possible for us.

We can begin to pay more attention to our relationship with God.

We can begin to pay more attention to our prayer lives — our worship — our commitment to God’s ways of doing things and less to our way of doing things.

We can live the life of commitment – believing that there is always new life – always new beginnings.

Many believe that Lent is a time to “give up” things.

I’d rather see it as a beginning — a time to begin new things — rather than a time to end — a time to give up things.

I’d rather see it as a time for new beginnings and new life.

There is a new beginning.

There is new life.

We can begin a new relationship with God.

We can begin a new commitment to God — to His will — to His work.

We can begin a new commitment to our prayer lives — to our personal study of and reflection upon scripture.

We can begin a new commitment to our corporate worship as a church — to our corporate study of God’s word — to our corporate fellowship times which build us up as God’s people.

We can begin living the new life God offers us.

This can be a beginning.

A beginning of new life for us.

A beginning of new ways to live.

A beginning of new commitments.

If you won’t begin to live the new life God offers then you can not experience God’s plan of salvation for you. God makes the offer — but we have to choose to accept it or not. Accept it — and receive God’s salvation.

If we will not begin experiencing new life — new commitment – to God and our Church then our Church will indeed suffer.

If we do not begin living this new life and living out these new commitments in our families — in our communities — in our world — then our families — our communitites — and our world will suffer.

More than all of this, though, is that if we do not begin to live in the new life and living out new commitments to God we will suffer.

But — because of God’s promise to Noah – that rainbow that promises that God is with us at all times of our lives –

because of God’s promises to us through Jesus Christ –

we can have new life – and live lives of new commitments.

Because of God’s love for us in Jesus Christ –

There is a new beginning.

There is new life.

And — when we feel that we can not live this new life God calls us to live — when we feel tempted by the world — we can come to God — to Christ — who was tested in the wilderness — and yet waited on by angels — who was tempted — and yet did not sin — and who can strengthen us to live this new life He calls us to live.

Through Jesus Christ –

There is a new beginning.

There is new life.

Come to the table.

Receive strength for your new life – and let us receive strength for our new lives together.

Receive strength from God and from Christ.

As we partake of the sacrament it is as if we are waited upon by angels.

There is strength for times of testing.

There is strength to discover God — who wills to save and not destroy us –

There is strength to see that there is new life.

There is strength for us on our road to commitment.

Come — see — and experience that there is indeed a new beginning.

Come – see – and experience that there is indeed new life.

There is a new beginning.

There is new life.

AMEN